NPR NewsNPR Election Coverage (repeat)Vice-Presidential Debate -- Tune in for the second hour of NPR's special coverage from Danville, Kentucky of the only vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and GOP challenger Paul Ryan.

Radio SpecialsAmerican RadioworksThe Rise of Phoenix: For-Profit Universities Shake Up the Academy -- For-profit colleges have deep roots in American history, but until recently they were a tiny part of the higher education landscape. Now they are big players. More than one in 10 college students attends a for-profit. The rapid rise of these career-oriented schools has provoked heated debate, opening up new conversations about the costs, quality and purpose of higher education. In this documentary, correspondent Emily Hanford examines the history and influence of the University of Phoenix, one of the nation's largest colleges, and explores how Phoenix and other for-profits are shaping the future of higher education.

The Do ListThe Do ListCy Musiker and David Wiegand scout the Bay Area for things to do this coming weekend and turn up a bloody musical, a 50th anniversary and digging for treasure.

9:00 am

ForumThe 2012 Vice Presidential DebatePresidential candidate Mitt Romney was widely deemed the winner of the first debate against President Obama. So what sort of pressure does that put on their running mates? Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan take the stage in Kentucky for the first vice presidential debate. We'll discuss the candidates' differences on domestic and foreign policy, and we'll discuss their performances. Could the vice presidential debate affect the election in November?

10:00 am

ForumStew and the Negro ProblemThe rock musical "Passing Strange," created and performed by members of the indie band Stew and The Negro Problem, started at the Berkeley Rep and went on to win a Tony Award on Broadway. A movie version was later directed by Spike Lee. The band recently released their first album since their success on Broadway. We talk with composer and frontman Mark Stewart, AKA Stew.

11:00 am

Science FridayIs Marijuana Medicine?Is marijuana medicine? Some docs think so, but the federal government doesn't agree. Science Friday looks at how cannabis helps cancer patients and why a toke may be better than a THC pill. Plus, tracking the ozone hole. Did you know it disappears every year?

AFTERNOON

12:00 pm

Science Friday2012 Nobel Prize WinnersThe 2012 Nobel Prize winners were announced this week. Hear about the scientific research that nabbed the awards this year. Plus, a look back on 50 years of the LED, and an update on the Curiosity mission on Mars.

1:00 pm

Fresh AirVirus Hunter Nathan WolfeNathan Wolfe has spent a lot of time in the viral hot spots of the world, like central Africa, tracking viruses that jump from animals to humans. His goal is to identify new viruses to prevent the next deadly global pandemic.

2:00 pm

WorldNew Details of the Cuban Missile CrisisA president faces a crisis. It's 1962, and 90 miles from Florida thousands of Soviet troops are on alert -- with 180 nuclear warheads. Presidents Kennedy and Khrushchev are on the brink of war. The World tells about new details about the Cuban missile crisis.

The California ReportThe California Report MagazineL.A. voters will decide if porn movie actors should be forced to wear condoms. One former adult film star who got HIV on the set says yes. Also, there's a push for medical marijuana in San Diego County. Listen to those stories and more about health issues and the November 2012 election.

China Telecoms and Security -- The U.S.-China economic relationship is under pressure again with allegations from a U.S. congressional committee that China's top telecom firms are security threats. China responded by saying the report could damage relations with the U.S.

EVENING

6:30 pm

The California ReportHealth on the BallotL.A. voters will decide if porn movie actors should be forced to wear condoms. One former adult film star who got HIV on the set says yes. Also, there's a push for medical marijuana in San Diego County. Listen to those stories and more about health issues and the November 2012 election.

7:00 pm

Fresh AirVirus Hunter Nathan WolfeNathan Wolfe has spent a lot of time in the viral hot spots of the world, like central Africa, tracking viruses that jump from animals to humans. His goal is to identify new viruses to prevent the next deadly global pandemic.

8:00 pm

Commonwealth ClubThe Shared Economy: Doing Business with the JonesesWalk a block and borrow your neighbor's lawn mower. Co-work in a friendly office space with other companies. The one time a month you actually need a giant SUV, just jump in the one parked down the street. Born from the woes of a struggling economy, folks everywhere are reverting to the age-old mantra - sharing is caring. The last five years have seen an upsurge in companies and groups that are pooling resources to increase savings, efficiency and green-friendly practices. Peer-to-peer marketplaces like RelayRides and TaskRabbit have the potential to revolutionize how we view both business and personal pursuits, with an emphasis on accessing rather than owning. Hear leaders from the shared economy dish on their visions for the future of collaborative consumption, and how we can all contribute and benefit.

ForumStew and the Negro ProblemThe rock musical "Passing Strange," created and performed by members of the indie band Stew and The Negro Problem, started at the Berkeley Rep and went on to win a Tony Award on Broadway. A movie version was later directed by Spike Lee. The band recently released their first album since their success on Broadway. We talk with composer and frontman Mark Stewart, AKA Stew.

11:00 pm

The California ReportHealth on the BallotL.A. voters will decide if porn movie actors should be forced to wear condoms. One former adult film star who got HIV on the set says yes. Also, there's a push for medical marijuana in San Diego County. Listen to those stories and more about health issues and the November 2012 election.

11:30 pm

All Things ConsideredKennewick ManFor nearly a decade, scientists and Northwest tribes have fought bitterly over whether to bury or study the 9,500-year-old bones known as "Kennewick Man." Now, after years of careful examination, scientists are releasing some of their findings to tribes at meetings this week in Central Washington. It turns out Kennewick Man grew up on the coast.

12:00 am

All Things ConsideredMars for SaleWhile NASA's robot is taking photos of Martian rocks, there are several pieces of the real thing on Earth. In 2011, an extremely rare event happened in Morocco -- people observed a meteorite fall and recovered it before it was contaminated by water or organisms from Earth. Scientists now describe how it was made, and what it's made of. This weekend, a piece of the asteroid is up for sale at a pricy auction house in Manhattan. Science and art have converged in a piece of Martian rock.